


Untitled

by dahlstrom, icedwhitemocha



Category: Glee
Genre: AU, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-25
Updated: 2013-06-25
Packaged: 2017-12-16 04:34:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,542
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/857845
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dahlstrom/pseuds/dahlstrom, https://archiveofourown.org/users/icedwhitemocha/pseuds/icedwhitemocha
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Summer camp counselors AU!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Untitled

**Author's Note:**

> Last July, Tracy and I decided we wanted to start a fun little RP via email. Just for us, we said. Of course, we ended up toying with the idea of posting some of it, but never actually did, until I saw the "summer camp" theme for Klaine Hiatus Madness and was like okay we couldn't really ask for a better excuse.
> 
> The plot here is pretty simple - everything is exactly the same as canon, the boys just meet a few months earlier and under different circumstances. This is the first two scenes we did, totaling about 12K words. I wrote Kurt’s POV, Tracy wrote Blaine’s, and the switches are indicated by the little ~ symbols. PG-13 for a very minor and non-graphic reference to masturbation.

If someone had asked Kurt six months ago if he ever envisioned himself doing this, he would have rolled his eyes so hard they might have fallen out of his head. A camp counselor? A month of running around after a bunch of shrieking pre-teen kids and making sure they didn't drown in the lake or whatever? Scratch that - running around, full stop? Living in the woods with bugs and dirt and probably no A/C in the middle of summer? None of these things were anywhere near his radar. No freaking way. And yet... here he was, sitting in this hotel conference room waiting for orientation to start, the counselors' handbook and the list of required items to pack (and _not_ pack) clutched in his hands. Counselors were due at the campgrounds in five days, and the campers would arrive two days after that. He still had time to change his mind, didn't he?

It had all just happened so _fast._ Less than three weeks ago, his dad had come home from the shop and told Kurt about the terribly interesting conversation he'd had with a customer who turned out to be the owner and director of this summer camp, and that he was still looking for a couple more counselors and running out of time. Kurt had been quite sure that his father was trying to tell him something and had just stared at him, thinking about how down he felt due to everything that had happened recently - the weirdness with Finn over Kurt's decoration of their room, New Directions not even placing at Sectionals, the fact that it was summer vacation and he still wanted to be in school because he actually had friends now and he missed them like crazy. And he'd just opened his mouth and said, "I want to do it." He needed a distraction, and this could definitely qualify. Besides, being a camp counselor would probably look good on college applications, and it was never too early to start thinking about that. 

And, yeah, okay, in the back of his mind he thought it might be a chance to meet other gay people his age and form friendships that could continue after the summer. The camp wasn't in Lima and from what his dad told him, campers and counselors came there from all over the state. There was a possibility, at least. 

Now, though, when he was about to take the last step into really, actually doing this - could he handle it? Some sort of sign would be great, Kurt thought, shifting nervously in his chair and glancing at the door, where kids his own age and several adults were still streaming into the room. The orientation would start in five minutes. He still had time to slip out and just pretend he'd mistaken the time of the meeting and oh, oops, I can't do it now, sorry, maybe next summer! He was almost on the verge of standing up to do just that when that sign he'd been hoping for walked into the room. 

~

Blaine was so excited that orientation was finally here, he felt like he might _explode._ He'd already been totally sick of his house and of his parents' quiet disapproval, and school had only been out for a couple of weeks. The idea of a month of quasi-freedom, filled with campfire songs and arts and crafts and nature rides in laid-back Western-style saddles, was completely exhilarating. Maybe he'd learn how to make a fire with a couple of sticks, who knew? _Anything is possible._ He might even make a new friend or two, people he'd keep in touch with for years, and he looked forward to laughing with these hypothetical friends over old camp memories in Facebook messages they'll exchange a decade from now.

It's not that he didn't like his schoolmates at Dalton; of course he did. The Warblers in particular had been a godsend, accepting Blaine wholeheartedly and unanimously voting to make him next year's lead soloist. It was an honor that Blaine didn't take lightly. 

But Dalton was safety and security, and while Blaine appreciated those things, he'd been itching for something else. Not danger, really -- he'd had enough of that, cold and terrified on the ground last November -- but _adventure._ If his life were a novel, he liked to imagine that this chapter would start out with _That was the summer that changed my life forever._

When he walked into the conference room, he bounced a little on his toes, his eyes sweeping the room as he took in the people he'd be spending the next month getting to know. His gaze landed on a sweet-faced boy around his own age with a sweep of chestnut hair and an anxious expression, and Blaine smiled at him. There was an empty seat beside him, and _hey, may as well start meeting people now,_ he thought, so he smoothly moved through a row of chairs and sat in the open seat. 

"Hi! I'm Blaine," he said, offering his hand. "It's my first year -- are you new, too?" 

~

The boy who'd just walked in was... well, he couldn't be real. People who looked like that just didn't live in _Ohio,_ for heaven's sake. He could have stepped off the silver screen out of a movie from 40 years ago - all big bright eyes and carefully sculpted hair. Kurt's finely-tuned aesthetic sense could picture him perfectly in black and white, and he looked _amazing._ Kurt deliberately blinked a few times, sure that his anxiety was causing him to hallucinate. But no, the boy was still there, and-- wait. Still there _and_ walking straight toward Kurt, and with a smile to boot? Kurt's mouth dropped open just slightly, and he discreetly pinched his arm. Definitely awake.

When the boy sat down right next to him and introduced himself, Kurt couldn't help panicking for a moment. Was this some sort of joke? Had Karofsky and Azimio somehow found out that he was signed up for this counselor job and decided to mess with him? No, that was too sophisticated for them. But still... 

"I'm Kurt," he replied, his voice somewhat faint, and he shook the boy's - _Blaine's_ \- hand automatically. His palm was warm and soft, but sturdy, and a small thrill went through Kurt at the touch. _Get a grip on yourself, God._ He gave Blaine a lofty smile and lifted his chin. "Yes, I'm new too. Does it show?" 

~

The other boy -- Kurt -- was cuter up close than Blaine had expected, with pale, creamy skin and eyes like sea glass, with possibly the softest hand Blaine had ever shaken. _Wow._

"No," Blaine said hastily, shaking his head at Kurt's question. There was something in Kurt's smile that made Blaine feel like he'd screwed up already, but he forged ahead anyway. He was used to his mouth getting him into trouble on occasion, and at least Kurt was _smiling._ "I just know the minimum age for counselors is sixteen -- which _I_ am -- and I figured we were around the same age. A lucky guess on my part," he finished, nudging Kurt cheerfully with his elbow. 

~

Kurt had long since perfected the art of putting others in their place; he did it almost every day. But it still stunned him that he had obviously just done it to Blaine - he could barely believe someone who looked so perfect could ever _feel_ anything less than perfect. He felt a tiny bit bad, actually, and sort of wanted to apologize, but Blaine seemed to have recovered quickly. The playful little bump Blaine gave him caused an entire sleeping swarm of butterflies inside of Kurt to wake up and begin flapping their wings like crazy, but he managed to keep it together. "I just turned seventeen in May," he replied, straightening the handbook and other papers in his lap - they'd been in danger of slipping to the floor when he moved with Blaine's nudge.

He started to ask Blaine where he was from when a loud male voice suddenly called hello to the room and asked for order. Kurt jumped a little and looked toward the front, where the camp's director was standing at the podium. "I'd like to thank everybody for making it, welcome. We'll be here for about 45 minutes tonight, I think, unless there are a lot more questions than I'm expecting." A ripple of polite laughter went through the crowd. "First things first - I forgot to put out the sign-in sheet by the door, so I'm going to get that going around to everyone now. Just find your name on the list and sign next to it. Counselors should also take note of the name next to theirs, because that's who you're paired up with to run your group of campers. You'll have time later this evening to find your partner and introduce yourselves. I'm going to let you size up the person you'll be spending most of the next month with." 

Kurt raised his eyebrows and glanced at Blaine out of the corner of his eye. He already knew that there were two counselors for each group - boys with boy campers and girls with the girls. And he knew that the counselors would sleep in their own cabin, next to the cabin their campers shared. What he didn't know was how the pairings were determined - new counselors were most likely put with ones who had experience, so there was little chance that he and Blaine would be together, especially since there were at least 20 other male counselors in the room, so far as Kurt could tell. But you never knew... 

~

Blaine listened attentively as Steve started going through the Counselor's Handbook, filling everyone in on the details of the day-to-day activities at Camp Blackbird and what they, as counselors, would be expected to do. It sounded pretty easy, all things considered -- there were instructors for things like swimming and horseback riding, so while counselors were welcome and encouraged to help out with all activities, they weren't expected to be experts. Which was good, since Blaine's camping experience was limited to a few Cub Scout overnights when he was in elementary school. Blaine got the sense that the counselors were mostly for crowd control, and for making sure their group of ten campers got where they needed to be, which Steve confirmed a moment later.

"...and so basically, your role will be to keep your campers safe and accounted for, and to make sure every camper has a great time this summer!" 

There was a scattering of applause, which quickly led to groans and rueful laughter when Steve continued with "...and speaking of having a great time, let's get into the rules for counselors, shall we?" 

Most of the rules were things Blaine had expected, so he nodded along as Steve outlined the strict no-drugs-or-alcohol on campgrounds policy, and reminded everyone to keep their language "camper-friendly." He was pleasantly surprised to learn that counselors were given one night off per week so that they could enjoy some of the camp's amenities (such as they were) or even take the fifteen-minute drive into town to see a movie or shop at the local Target. 

The sign-in sheet was steadily making its way toward the back of the room where Blaine was seated, and he eyed it hopefully, wondering who his co-counselor would be, and what campers they'd be assigned. He'd requested the youngest age group on his form, figuring that he'd seem much more authoritative to an eight-year-old than a twelve-year-old, but whatever group he was given, Blaine was sure he'd manage. As the girl on the other side of Kurt handed him the sheet, Blaine leaned over a little to peer over his shoulder, too curious to wait for his own turn. 

"Huh," he said, and grinned. 

~

As soon as Steve began to speak, Kurt's initial anxiety had soared back to the level it had been - God, what had he gotten himself into here? Blaine's arrival had distracted him from his half-assed plan of escaping, and now he was stuck. He sat rigid in his chair, staring blankly up at the director as horrible thoughts about falling off his horse and breaking an arm - or one of his _campers_ breaking an arm - stampeded through his brain. At least his fears kept him from thinking too hard about how close Blaine was to him and how nice he smelled.

Gradually, though, his apprehension began to fade. From the way Steve was talking it really did sound like the counselors' biggest job would be to make sure the kids didn't get too riled up. Kurt could handle that. He was more relaxed as the rules and regulations spiel started, allowing his mind to wander a little. He'd forgotten about the sign-in sheet in the wake of everything else, and when he noticed that it was at the end of their row his attention was drawn to it. He didn't really care which age group he'd been assigned to - when filling out his application, he hadn't indicated a preference since he had no experience with kids and it wouldn't really matter if he was dealing with third-graders or sixth-graders (although he might be more inclined to snap at older kids). No, what he wanted to know was who his co-counselor would be. Hopes of it being Blaine aside, Kurt was praying that whoever it was wouldn't be some homophobic jerk, because that was the very last thing he needed. 

He held his breath as he scanned the list for his name - and his heart leaped into his throat when he found it and saw the name next to it. _Blaine Anderson._ Surely there couldn't be _two_ Blaines in this room, could there? 

He heard Blaine's sound of approval at his shoulder and jumped, turning his head so quickly toward Blaine that they almost knocked foreheads. "Sorry," he hissed, trying not to laugh, his heart rate now tripled. "I guess you saw?" he whispered, moving the clipboard closer to Blaine so both of them could get a good look at it, and tapped the line with both of their names on it. A strange thought occurred to him - somewhere else on the sheet, Blaine's name was in the left-hand column, waiting for his signature, and Kurt's name was next to it, binding them together more firmly. _Ugh, what a cheesball,_ Kurt thought with mild disgust, and signed his name with a flourish before shoving the clipboard at Blaine. He hadn't even bothered to note what age their group of campers was - not that it mattered in the wake of sharing a tiny cabin with Blaine for the next month. 

~

"Looks like we're partners," Blaine whispered cheerfully, taking the clipboard as Kurt thrust it into his hands. He signed his name quickly, smiling at Kurt's signature, which looked like he'd been practicing his autograph for years; Blaine would know, after all. He stretched across the aisle to hand the clipboard over to the remaining counselors, then turned back to Kurt.

"You, me, and ten eight-year-olds," he said quietly, and gave Kurt a wink. "What could go wrong?" 

Before Kurt had a chance to tell Blaine what, exactly, could go wrong, the lights went out, and Blaine jumped, startled, then chuckled when he realized that Steve was showing a promotional video for the camp. Which seemed sort of silly, since they were all already signed up, but Blaine supposed people could still technically back out. _He_ certainly wouldn't be, though. Freedom from his parents, a pack of bound-to-be-adorable little kids and a cute co-counselor to be his roommate for the next month? Sold. 

~~~~~

After seeing the brochures, website, and promotional video of Camp Blackbird, Kurt had convinced himself that it couldn't possibly be as pretty and peaceful as the images proclaimed. He expected the grounds to be no better than simply "nice," and said so more than once to his dad on the two-hour drive there (he wasn't going to bring his Navigator all the way out into the woods for a month, no way). But when they turned in to the site, Kurt had to literally hold back a gasp of shock. The place was _beautiful._ The cabins and recreational buildings were all neat and tidy, the wood painted green and white. The grass was lush and healthy, the paths leading from building to building well-maintained, and the trees surrounding the entire grounds gave the camp a feeling of isolation that read as privacy instead of wilderness. Kurt turned to look at his father, unable to temper the grin on his face, and his dad just chuckled and shook his head, saying "It's not the Ritz, but I think you'll be okay."

Half an hour later, after Kurt was all checked in and he and his father had shared a goodbye that started out composed but ended, as things often did between them, with a long, tight hug and both of them sniffling and mumbling about pride. Kurt watched him drive away, then heaved a sigh and picked up his three suitcases to head toward his cabin. His _and Blaine's_ cabin, he reminded himself, and there was a spring in his step the rest of the way. He hadn't thought about Blaine too much since orientation, even though they'd exchanged phone numbers and emails just in case. No, he'd been too concerned with preparing himself mentally and physically for being away from home for a month. 

The interior of the cabin wasn't disappointing in the slightest - Kurt had feared a damp, musty smell or a floor made of dirt or something else equally horrible. It _was_ a bit small, maybe 14x14 square, but certainly doable for two teenage boys for a month. He wondered if the cabins for the girl counselors were the same size. After dropping his things on one of the two twin beds, he walked over to inspect the bathroom. He made a slight face at its small size and utter lack of counter or medicine cabinet behind the mirror, but he'd make do, somehow. 

Before leaving orientation last week, all of the counselors had been given their supply of Camp Blackbird uniform shirts. Six all-cotton short-sleeved t-shirts, three white-on-red and three red-on-white, exactly like the ones the campers would receive except these had "Counselor" under the camp name and logo in the top left corner. Blaine had still be right next to him when they'd picked up their sizes, so Kurt hadn't wanted to express his distaste in front of him, but once he'd gotten home he did so with relish. At least they were only required to wear camp-issued shirts and not a full uniform. The handbook stated that "khaki shorts or pants are preferred" but denim, black, or white were also okay, and Kurt had to pick through all of his bottoms to find the ones that were the most practical for (basically) living outdoors for a month. He'd also brought along a wide array of accessories, because 1) the handbook had little to say on them, so they must be allowed, and 2) every moment of your life is an opportunity for fashion - even at sleepaway camp. 

The one thing the cabin did not have was any sort of closet space or chest of drawers to store clothes. Kurt had called the camp office to check on this and been informed by the giggling receptionist that most counselors just lived out of their suitcases. This would not do for Kurt Hummel, ill-fitting mass-produced uniform t-shirts or not. He'd packed plenty of hangers and bought a chrome garment rack at Target for less than $20, and putting it together was the first order of business. Hunkering down on the floor, he opened the packaging and dumped out all the pieces, wondering belatedly if he'd need a screwdriver or some other tool. Damn, he should have checked on that. 

~

Blaine sat in his car in the camp parking lot, drumming on the steering wheel and waiting until "Get This Party Started" ended to turn off the engine. It was probably silly, but he'd chosen it as the final song on his _Blackbird-Bound!!_ playlist for a reason; Blaine wanted to make sure he was the exact right level of psyched to begin his summer of adventure. He sang along with Pink for the last few minutes, pumping his fist at the final _"...right now!"_ and grinning to himself. Yes, definitely psyched.

Satisfied that he was prepared for camp, Blaine unplugged his iPod and slid it into the front pocket of his backpack before slinging the backpack over his shoulder. He grabbed his small wheeled suitcase out of the backseat, popped the handle up, locked the car, and headed to the office to let them know he'd arrived. 

The smiling woman behind the reception desk introduced herself as Marcy, and she quickly and smoothly helped Blaine fill out a few pieces of remaining paperwork. Once they'd finished, she pulled out a thick packet for him containing the names and enrollment forms of his campers, a copy of the daily schedule, and a map of the campgrounds, and circled his cabin on the map in black Sharpie. 

"Your co-counselor got here a little while ago," Marcy informed Blaine as she pressed the packet into his hands. "He seems like a sweetheart -- I'm sure you two will get along great. Tell him I said hello!" 

"I absolutely will," Blaine promised, giving her a little wave as he stepped out of the office. He found his and Kurt's cabin easily, and rapped quickly on the door before letting himself in. 

"Hi, Kurt," Blaine said as he slipped inside, dropping his bags and turning to greet his new roommate. "It's nice to see you ag-- Wow. Are you, uh, building something? Do you need help? That's a lot of parts." 

~

The rack actually turned out to be rather easy to put together - the instructions were clear and the only tool he needed was the Allen wrench included in the tiny bag with all the screws - but, yes, it was a lot of parts. He'd organized everything on the floor within reach, and was about half-finished with the assembly when the light knock came at the door. Before he could call for whoever it was to come in, the door opened and... ah, there he was. Kurt was momentarily blinded by Blaine's (seriously ridiculous) good looks to be worried about the mess he'd made of their cabin floor - or how messy he himself probably looked.

"Hi," he said shortly, and blew away a lock of hair that had fallen over his forehead. Only an hour in this heat and he didn't think he could make it. Something had to be done, or he'd end up looking like a mountain man all summer. Well, a beardless one. "Sorry, I was sure I could get this all put together before you got here." He smiled sheepishly up at Blaine. "It's a garment rack. I need to have somewhere to hang things up, especially since we'll be here for a month. I'm not a barbarian." 

~

Blaine wasn't sure whether he should be more concerned over how attractive Kurt looked, a little sweaty and disheveled with a flush in his cheeks, or over the fact that he was, apparently, a barbarian. He bit his lip and settled -- for the moment -- on the latter.

"I was pretty much planning to live out of my suitcase," he confessed, giving Kurt an equally sheepish smile in return. "I figured I'd be wearing t-shirts and shorts most of the time, and I'd just hang a few things in the closet." He glanced around the cabin, then looked from Kurt, to the garment rack, and then back to Kurt again. 

Blaine laughed out loud. "We don't _have_ a closet, do we?" 

~

Kurt knew what Blaine was going to say as soon as he started talking, and he just watched him with a small smile, waiting for him to figure out the punchline. When he did, Kurt laughed along with him, shaking his head. "Nope. I called the other day to check. But this thing is about three feet long, so you can use it too." He paused, glanced over at his own pile of suitcases, and added, "I _think_ there'll be enough room for your stuff, anyway."

"And no," he went on, fully in 'there's a hot boy here, I have to keep talking to hold his attention' mode. "No closet, no dressers, no nothing. Just the beds. I claimed that one, but you can have it if you really want it, I don't mind." Kurt bit his lip then, forcing himself to just shut the hell up for a second, and broke into a smile. "Hi again, by the way. How was your trip?" 

~

"Hi yourself," Blaine said, stepping closer to where Kurt was sitting on the floor and lowering himself down as well. He was careful not to disrupt any of the garment rack pieces that Kurt had laid out; they'd be sharing this cabin for the next month, and the last thing Blaine wanted to do was piss off his co-counselor in their first ten minutes of cohabitation.

"My trip was good, thanks," he said as he settled onto the floor, stretching his legs out in front of him and flexing his feet, then pointing them, then pulling his knees up and hugging them to his chest. "There was hardly any traffic, and I had a pretty great playlist for company, so it went quickly. The bed you picked is fine, by the way, and I appreciate the _possible_ loan of some garment rack space," he said, grinning impishly. "How was _your_ trip? Did you drive yourself too?" 

~

When Blaine sat down, Kurt immediately sat up straighter, lengthening his spine so he would appear, well, not _taller,_ but more dignified, at least. This was really not the way he'd wanted their first day together to begin; he really wanted to just get this damn rack finished so he could get his clothes out of the suitcases where he knew they were getting more wrinkled by the minute. After that, he'd feel better, more organized, and more in control of things. It occurred to him that this was the second time Blaine had caught him off-guard - and they'd only been in each other's presence twice, so that really said something.

And he was really, _really,_ trying not to stare at Blaine's legs. Was he purposely displaying them or something? Kurt immediately pushed the thought away. The idea that the first person he'd met on this great summer adventure was another gay boy his own age - that was just silly. 

"No, my dad drove me up here. My car is my baby, and I didn't want it out here in the elements for a month. But I promise I won't beg you to drive me around on our days off," he added hastily, giving Blaine a small smile that he wasn't even aware was forming until it happened. "You said you live in Westerville, right?" They'd exchanged basic information at orientation, and Kurt had committed it all to memory - his uncertainty now was just for show. He didn't want Blaine to _know_ he'd memorized everything he'd told him. When Blaine nodded, Kurt said, "So you didn't have to come much further than we did. Hey, can you hand me that bracket next to your left knee?" He pointed to the piece he wanted, and with his other hand he picked up the crossbar he'd been working on when Blaine arrived. 

~

"You can totally beg me for rides," Blaine reassured Kurt, grabbing the bracket that he'd asked for and placing it in his outstretched hand. Their fingers brushed as Kurt took it, and Blaine noticed a hint of pink creeping up Kurt's cheeks. That was... interesting.

Blaine didn't like to make assumptions about anyone's sexuality based on their interests, or on superficial things like the way they spoke or walked or dressed. He'd had enough people tell him _wow, you don't really seem gay!_ to know how unbelievably frustrating that could be. His own father, during one of their many "discussions" about Blaine's sexuality -- which primarily consisted of his father being in denial and Blaine's replies becoming increasingly monotone -- had once pointed out Blaine's enjoyment of football as proof of his obvious heterosexuality. _Right, Dad, all those tight pants and patting each other on the asses, football's not gay at all,_ Blaine had said, smiling tightly. He'd felt like a sellout for saying it -- he loved football for the _game,_ not the eye candy -- but his father had snapped his mouth shut, so at least it had had the intended effect. 

But Kurt's blush was intriguing. Was he gay? Maybe he was just shy, Blaine thought, watching as Kurt assembled his garment rack, working quickly and efficiently. Blaine eyed the instructions and started handing Kurt the pieces that he needed, trying to get to them before Kurt reached for them, making a game of it to amuse himself. They grabbed for the last screw at the same time, and Blaine laughed, sudden and bright, surrendering with a little nod. "You're too quick for me, Kurt Hummel," he said, clambering to his feet and, once Kurt was finished, offering his hand to help him stand. "I think we make a pretty decent team, though, don't you?" 

~

Kurt had expected that Blaine would get up and start unpacking once it became clear that he wanted to finish putting the rack together. It was what he himself would have done, anyway. But no, Blaine stayed right where he was - and _helped._ He didn't make a show of it or try to act like Kurt couldn't possibly put it together without his help or anything like that at all, he was just being nice. It sort of floored Kurt, really.

And then when Blaine had to go and offer his hand out to help Kurt up, that was just too much. _He's probably just making things really easy here at the start. By the end of the week he'll be a total jerk._ But Kurt took his hand anyway, willing his face not to burst into flames, and couldn't help smiling at what Blaine had said. "We do, you're right. First co-counselor test? I'd say we passed." He gave the garment rack an experimental roll and grinned happily when it did just what it was supposed to. "With flying colors," he added, smiling right at Blaine before moving the rack beside his bed. 

"Now..." It came out as an extremely contented sigh, and he was still smiling as he opened the first suitcase. He wondered if he should maybe give Blaine some sort of warning about his relationship to his clothes, possibly lay down the law about touching them or borrowing them or even giving them a disdainful look, but he kept his mouth shut instead. That would just make Blaine think he was crazy and would undo all the nice things that had already happened. "I was going to look around once I get settled," he said instead, glancing over his shoulder at Blaine. "Just so you know." He didn't feel quite brave enough to ask Blaine if he wanted to join him, but he hoped his tone was enough to convey that he was certainly welcome. 

~

"Good plan," Blaine said. He picked up his own bags and tossed them on his bed, then sat down next to them, watching curiously as Kurt started pulling clothes out of his suitcase and hanging them neatly on the rack. "We should definitely get the lay of the land -- I only made it as far as the office when I got here. Oh, and Marcy said to tell you hi, by the way. I think you've got an _admirer."_

~

Kurt smiled to himself, glad that he hadn't had to come right out and ask if Blaine wanted to come with him. But he made a little sputtering sound a moment later, whipping his head around to give Blaine an incredulous look. "What?" he said, laughing a little. "I-- she's like 40 years old!" _And **female,**_ he added silently. "She was giving my dad googly-eyes too, so I think she's just nice to everybody." Oh God, please let that be the case.

~

"Maybe you're just a good-looking family," Blaine said, shrugging. So much for his attempt at subtlety -- that response was inconclusive at best. Kurt was blushing again, for one thing, and he hadn't objected to Marcy's gender. On the other hand, he hadn't said anything to indicate that he _did_ like women, so Blaine decided to switch tactics.

Kind of. 

"I'm gay, by the way," he blurted out to Kurt's back, then winced. He'd meant to work that in a _little_ more smoothly, just in case; whatever his sexuality might have been, Kurt didn't seem like the type to be homophobic, but you never knew. One of the boys who'd kicked Blaine's ass after the Sadie Hawkins dance was the closest thing Ohio could possibly have to a laid-back surfer dude, and yet... 

"Sorry," Blaine said hurriedly. "That was awkward. I just wanted to get that out, because we're going to be sharing a cabin for a month, and if it's an issue for you, I'd rather know now so I can ask for a transfer." 

_And because you're really cute and it's distracting,_ he didn't add. 

~

Kurt hadn't even begun to process the compliment - it _had_ been a compliment, right? Blaine had basically just flat out said he was good-looking? - when Blaine said the two most perfect words that could have possibly followed it: _I'm gay._ Oh, thank goodness. He tried to stay calm, hanging up the last cardigan from his suitcases and brushing the wrinkles out with an extra-vigorous flourish before turning to face Blaine, waiting for him to stop babbling. Their eyes met and held, and Kurt simply smiled. "Not an issue at all." He paused, gathering his courage, and said, "I'm gay too. So..." _So, there's that. And all its possibilities._

"I have to say, I'm really glad you are. It'll make things easier." He meant to give that statement as much ambiguity as he could, but it came out sounding pretty suggestive, so he quickly added, "There won't be any of that awkward 'no-homo' crap floating around in here when one of us comes out of the shower, or anything." Oh wow, was _that_ a stupid thought to put in his own head - suddenly visions of Blaine walking around their cabin in nothing but a towel were flooding his brain and he was blushing again and yeah, it was seriously time to get out of this tiny room. 

~

"No," Blaine said quickly, trying to stop picturing Kurt in a towel and failing miserably. "No no-homo. Just regular homo!"

_Wait, what?_ Blaine shook his head vigorously. "Good grief, what am I even saying? Sometimes my mouth is faster than my brain, obviously." He paused, feeling his cheeks heat up. "Let me try that again: I'm glad too, I would've hated to have had to transfer, and if you're done unpacking, I'd love to go take that walk now?" 

Blaine gave Kurt his best smile, and prayed that a little fresh air would help him pull himself together. 

~

He tried not to laugh, he _really_ did, especially when Blaine was the one to blush for once, but a little snort escaped anyway and he quickly turned away, pressing his lips together. "Yes, let's go," he announced, saving Blaine from himself, and grabbed his sunglasses from the bed where he'd tossed them. As long as they didn't go wandering in the woods and over rocks or something, his Doc Martens would be fine.

Blaine got to the door first, almost as if he couldn't get outside quickly enough, and when Kurt stepped out after him the unfamiliar scent of pine and just good clean air was a little overwhelming. This new environment was going to take some getting used to. "Do you know what time it is?" he asked, following Blaine down the three steps from the porch of their cabin. "Just want to make sure we're back in time for dinner." 

~

Blaine glanced at his watch, squinting a little in the bright late-afternoon sunlight. "It's a few minutes 'till five," he said, setting off on the path away from the cabin with Kurt by his side. "So we have almost an hour. Plenty of time!"

They walked in silence for a moment, both of them simply taking in their surroundings. It was a gorgeous day -- too hot, for sure, but there was a light breeze coming off the lake, which was positively sparkling in the sun. Blaine pondered whether there would be time to go for a swim before dinner, but quickly decided against it. He'd have a month for that, and right now he wanted to get familiar with his temporary home. 

And, of course, his new roommate. His new _gay_ roommate, who was nice and funny and who he should probably _talk_ to instead of mentally rhapsodizing about, right. 

"So," Blaine said, glancing up at Kurt out of the corner of his eye. "What made you decide to come here?" 

~

He knew the question had to be coming soon, but it still startled him. How to respond, how much to tell him? Jumping in feet-first with _well I had a crush on my soon-to-be-stepbrother and he was a dick to me and being at home is just not pleasant right now_ didn't seem like the best idea.

"I had a strange year," he replied instead. "Just a lot of drama with friends and at home. I'm the only openly gay kid at my school, too, so that hasn't been easy, either." Kurt paused for a second, and quickly decided that tales of Karofsky and his cronies were better suited to horror stories told by flashlight around a campfire - or maybe not, since these horror stories were actually true. "Steve, the camp director, is a customer at my dad's tire shop, and he was in a few weeks ago talking to my dad about the camp, and my dad came home and told me about it, obviously hinting that he thought it might be something good for me. And I took a leap and signed up." Kurt shrugged, laughing slightly. "That's literally it. I've never worked with kids before, or even been around kids, really, so I'm pretty nervous about that aspect of it. I just wanted to try several new things at once, I guess." He gave Blaine a quick smile and tilted his chin toward him. "And you?" 

~

Blaine listened to Kurt's answer; to the words, and to the pauses in between them, and wondered briefly what Kurt _wasn't_ telling him. Being a gay teenager in Nowhere, Ohio hadn't been easy for Blaine so far, either. He hoped Kurt had fared better, but if he didn't want to offer details, Blaine wasn't going to ask for them.

Not today, anyway. 

"Community service," Blaine said, deadpan. Kurt didn't say a word, but his head turned sharply, and Blaine burst out laughing. "Kidding, I'm kidding." 

He put a hand on Kurt's shoulder and squeezed lightly, then let his arm fall back down to his side. "Partially to get away from my parents," Blaine admitted. "They don't love that I'm gay, and it gets tiring being a such a constant disappointment." He shrugged. 

"That's not the main reason, though," he continued, brightening. "I actually mostly just wanted to have an adventure. I don't know much about kids either -- or camping, for that matter -- but, I don't know... summer camp! It seems so full of potential, don't you think?" 

~

For a second he was actually fooled by Blaine's joke about community service, and relaxed into an easy smile when Blaine began laughing. The unexpected shoulder squeeze was startling and scary and absolutely wonderful all at the same time - Kurt found himself hoping that Blaine did that sort of thing all the time, for no reason at all.

He didn't know what to say to Blaine's admission about his parents not fully accepting him. Kurt knew how lucky he was to have a father who not only understood but had backed him up on several occasions when his sexuality had been the cause of some problem or other - gloating about that would be rude, so he said nothing at all. Part of him wanted to return that sweet physical contact Blaine had given him, to give comfort via touch when words couldn't, but he didn't quite know how to do that, either. 

Maybe both of them being gay wouldn't be so easy, after all. 

Grateful that Blaine had changed the subject, Kurt laughed and lifted his sunglasses so their eyes could meet. "An adventure?" he repeated. "Bug bites and living without air conditioning and being responsible for ten little people whose parents would probably charge us with neglect if something happened to them. Oh yes, sign me up." He laughed again and shrugged. "You want to know something ironic? At orientation, I was on the verge of telling them I needed to back out when you came in, and you distracted me. It's your fault I'm here. So if I screw something up, it's all on you, Anderson." 

~

Blaine laughed delightedly. "On me, huh? Okay, _Hummel._ But that means when you rock this whole counselor gig, that's on me, too, since I blocked your escape route."

Something warm flared up in Blaine's chest at the notion that he, even in the tiniest of ways, had kept Kurt from changing his mind about coming to camp. In that moment, he promised himself that he'd do whatever he could to ensure that Kurt had a good time. And that their campers did too, of course. Which reminded him... 

"By the way," Blaine said as they reached the dock and he stepped out into the weathered but sturdy-looking boards, "I was pondering the end-of-summer talent show -- which I know is weeks away, but still -- and I was thinking about putting together a musical number for our campers. The Warblers -- that's the choir at my school -- do mostly a capella, and I think it would be a lot of fun for the kids. Are you musically inclined at all?" 

~

Kurt stopped short - the _Warblers?_ The Warblers of Dalton Academy? Why hadn't he put it together before now? He knew Blaine lived in Westerville, and although Blaine hadn't actually said he went to a private school, Kurt should have picked up on it - the perfect manners, the precise, heightened vocabulary, the silly gelled-down hair that no public-school-attending teenager in their right mind would do as a style every day. Of _course_ that's where he went to school.

"Okay, we can't be friends," Kurt deadpanned, crossing his arms over his chest. "It's just not going to work. We need to go right back to the office and request to be paired up with different counselors. You're my rival - _our_ rival, New Directions' rival." Blaine was staring at him, flabbergasted, and it was hard for Kurt to not crack a smile. "I go to William McKinley. Our glee club is going to be going up against yours at Sectionals this fall." 

~

_"No,"_ Blaine gasped, pressing a hand to his chest in mock horror. "All this time I've been fraternizing with the enemy? I can't believe it!"

He held his shocked pose for a few more seconds, just for effect, then punched Kurt lightly in the arm. "I think we can declare Camp Blackbird neutral territory. A few rounds of 'Kumbaya' and you'll forget you even heard the word 'warbler'. Although," he said, lowering his voice, "now that I know you can sing, I'll _have_ to insist that you help me prepare our campers to blow everyone away at the talent show." 

~

Kurt was so glad Blaine had gotten the joke that all he could do was stand there and beam at him for several seconds. What was happening here? He never felt this comfortable with someone so soon after meeting them. Maybe it was just the air up here or something.

_Or maybe all us gays really do share some hidden bond,_ he thought wistfully. Wouldn't that be nice. 

"Absolutely," he replied. "Ordinarily I'd put myself in charge of costumes, too, but I don't think we'll have a lot to work with here. So get ready for some serious competition in the coaching department." He smiled at Blaine again, then glanced out at the lake water lapping gently against the dock. They hadn't really done much in the way of exploring, but it would be really nice to just sit out here for a while. Maybe he'd even go to the trouble of untying all the laces of his Docs so he could let his bare feet dangle in the water. He started to ask Blaine if he wanted to sit, then realized that since Blaine was the amiable sort, he'd probably just sit down if Kurt did. 

But maybe he'd better get out this question he was dying to ask _before_ they got comfortable, just in case things turned awkward. "So," he asked, trying to keep his tone light. "I know we don't get any sort of wireless signal up here. There's a pay phone over by the office, but I think it's only for emergencies. How does your boyfriend feel about basically not being able to talk to you for a month?" 

~

Blaine tilted his head and stared at Kurt for a moment, trying to hold back the smile that was threatening to spread across his face. Kurt looked back at him serenely, but Blaine could see the slightest hint of pink in his cheeks, and it was so _adorable_ that he abandoned his almost-reply of _Really, Kurt?_ and just answered honestly.

"I don't have a boyfriend," he said, shaking his head. He pointed to the end of the dock and raised his eyebrows, and when Kurt nodded, he started walking again. "I haven't ever had one, actually. I had a date for a dance, but that didn't really... go very well, and then I transferred schools in January, so I was busy getting caught up, and between glee club and fencing and boxing, I never really had the time to get to know anyone that well, much less date anyone." 

They reached the end of the dock and Blaine kicked off his boat shoes, then sat at the edge. He poked Kurt in the knee. "C'mon -- join me, and you can tell me about your boyfriend... or lack thereof." 

~

No boyfriend. Never had one. Fencing. _Boxing?_ That was quite a lot of information for only a few sentences, much more than Kurt was expecting. Either Blaine was a very forthcoming person, or he deliberately wanted Kurt to know all of this right out of the gate. It didn't really matter which one it was to Kurt - both worked just fine. He tried to hide a smile, but lost the battle when Blaine nudged his knee - that made three unsolicited touches in less than half an hour, not to mention Blaine offering his hand to help Kurt up from the floor back in the cabin. And it was only the first _day._

"Didn't you hear me when I said I was the only out gay kid at my school?" he asked, settling down next to Blaine with as much dignity as possible. "I thought that would be enough to tell you that a boyfriend is pretty far out of the question." He bent his right knee, tucking his foot in so he could start working at the laces of his boot. "Sorry, I didn't mean to pry, or anything." _Oh shut up, you're not fooling anybody._ But he plunged ahead anyway. "I just wanted to know if I'd have to contend with finding you curled up on your bed one afternoon, clutching a framed picture of your beloved and listening to various covers of "Hallelujah" on repeat." 

~

"Okay, first of all, of _course_ I heard you," Blaine said, skimming the tips of his toes along the surface of the lake. "I'm a very attentive and sympathetic listener, for your information. But it's not like you couldn't have been dating a guy from another school. Or you could've had some hunky college boyfriend."

As he said it, Blaine imagined Kurt's hypothetical hunky college boyfriend. Tall and blonde, probably, with broad shoulders and a pierced eyebrow, and big hands that would cup Kurt's face and tilt his chin up so that his lips were perfectly positioned for kissing. Ugh, Blaine hated him. 

"And secondly," he continued, "I told _you_ that I wanted to have an adventure. Does weeping over my nonexistent boyfriend sound adventurous to you?" He raised his eyebrows at Kurt, who was almost out of his boots. "Exactly. And third of all, if I were moping, it would be to Rufus Wainwright's version of 'Hallelujah,' because the first time I ever heard that song was in _Shrek,_ so I have an emotional attachment to his cover." 

~

Okay, this was somebody who could clearly keep up with him, and it was unsettling. Kurt stayed quiet, a little annoyed at himself for underestimating Blaine, and also a little (irrationally) annoyed at Blaine for being so logical. He finished with his boots and set them aside, then pulled off his socks and dunked both feet into the water up to his ankles. It felt fantastic. "I'm partial to k.d. lang's live version, actually," he said at last. "But Rufus' is great too." He thought for a second about making a teasing comment about Blaine having emotional attachments to cartoons, but decided not to - he didn't want to ruffle Blaine's feathers too much this early.

Instead, he braced his palms against the dock behind him and leaned back, tilting his face up to the sun. "So we're both unattached and looking to have an adventure this summer. Sounds like we've got our work cut out for us." 

~

The realization that Kurt, sweet as he was, was actually _a total flirt_ hit Blaine like a ton of bricks as Kurt stretched out long and lean beside him, basking in the sun like a cat.

Well, Blaine could flirt, too, dammit. 

"Mmm, yes, it sounds _terrible,"_ Blaine said playfully. He flicked his foot through the water in Kurt's direction, just hard enough for a small spray to hit him below the knee, then knocked into Kurt companionably with his shoulder. "I think we'll manage somehow." 

~

Kurt couldn't quite believe he'd been brave enough to actually say that, and his heart was pounding as soon as the words were out of his mouth. He was _really_ toeing the line here. Hadn't he learned his lesson with Finn? Well, that was different, he argued - Finn was straight. Blaine was not.

He wasn't even annoyed about his jeans getting wet, and that was pretty major. Had Blaine not given him yet another bit of physical contact for no reason, he might have made a fuss, but instead he just laughed and nudged Blaine's shoulder right back. "It's almost time for dinner, isn't it? We didn't do much looking around. Maybe after we eat? And I guess we should probably sit down with our list of kids and the schedule and all that." 

~

"All right," Blaine said, a few hours later, signing his name to the last copy of the brief welcome letter he and Kurt had composed for their campers, as suggested in their counselor's handbook. "We can go put these on their beds with the rest of their things tomorrow." He tried to stifle the yawn he felt working its way through him, but he lost the battle, so he gave into it, stretching extravagantly and then flipping back on his bed. He peered at his watch and was shocked to see that it was after ten-thirty.

"Wow," he said, sitting back up and looking over at Kurt, who managed to look oddly dignified while sitting barefoot in the middle of a pile of paperwork. "I can't believe how fast that went. I felt like we only got back from dinner five minutes ago, but we got a lot done." 

They _had_ gotten a lot done, in fact. After a leisurely dinner, they'd strolled back to the cabin, and -- with permission, of course -- Blaine had hung a handful of his things on Kurt's garment rack. They'd gone through their information packets together, and Blaine had been happy to learn that they had the same night off. He'd assumed one of them would be on-duty while the other was off, but apparently not -- Tuesday nights from eight until midnight, they were both officially free to leave the camp grounds. They'd also composed their welcome note for the campers, and each of them had hand-written five copies, which they'd then exchanged so they could each add their signature to the other's copies. 

~

As Blaine flopped backward, Kurt distracted himself from the opportunity to blatantly stare at his legs and the lines of his body by snatching up the stack of welcome letters and squaring them up. Going through all the paperwork hadn't really done much to calm his anxiety about ten little people being thrown at him in a little over 24 hours, but having Blaine there with him helped a little, at least. They were getting along extremely well - they'd bounced ideas off of each other for their welcome letters and general conversation had been light and friendly, definitely on the same wavelength about nearly everything. Tomorrow would be a busy day, filled with activities and meetings with the entire camp staff, along with a guided tour of the grounds, so Kurt was glad they'd had these few hours all to themselves to get settled in each other's company.

Once he had all of their paperwork neatly organized, he stretched out his legs and arms, glancing toward the bathroom in the corner. "Do you mind if I shower first?" he asked. It would probably be best, he'd reasoned earlier, so while Blaine was showering Kurt could take care of his skincare routine and not have to feel self-conscious about being watched (and possibly judged). By the time Blaine was done, Kurt could already be tucked up in bed. 

~

"I don't mind at all," Blaine said, making a sweeping _go right ahead!_ gesture with his hands. He smiled brightly at Kurt. "I was going to ask if you wanted to go first, anyway. All this hair gel takes time to wash out, so I tend to take a little while in the shower. I don't want to keep you waiting!"

All of which was true, of course, but there was also the somewhat less chivalrous issue, which was that Blaine wanted to jerk off. His time at Dalton had been in a learning experience in quick and quiet masturbatory tactics, and he'd developed a bit of a habit. He wasn't, like, _compulsive_ about it or anything, but it had somehow become a part of his pre-sleep ritual, and he figured since tonight would be his first night sleeping in a strange bed, he'd rather keep the rest of his routine intact. 

~

"Hmm, yes, I haven't said anything about the gel yet," Kurt said smoothly, standing and moving over to his bed to gather his shower caddy and a towel. "But please know that it's been on my mind all day. We should talk about it sometime." He gave Blaine a cheeky little smile over his shoulder just before closing the bathroom door behind him, pleased with himself for effectively cutting off any retort.

Except for excusing himself during dinner to go to the bathroom, this was the first time since Blaine's arrival that Kurt had been alone. He didn't mind, obviously, but it was nice to have some time to himself. He decided to take a little longer in the shower than he really needed, just to stretch out the time. Being in the heat all day had made him feel gross and sticky, so he gave his skin an extra-good scrubbing with his loofah to compensate. And no, he was absolutely _not_ thinking about how Blaine would be in here in a few minutes, naked and wet and rubbing soap all over his chest and stomach and-- 

Kurt actually cleared his throat, as if the sound would chase these thoughts out of his head. He turned off the water and stepped out of the stall, quickly drying off before tucking the towel around his waist. Then, because he simply hadn't thought about what to do to combat parading around shirtless in front of Blaine, he held his dirty clothes in front of his chest when he left the bathroom, hoping the ball of fabric covered enough. "All yours. The water pressure kind of sucks, just a warning." 

~

There was a drop of water in the hollow of Kurt's throat. That wasn't shocking, considering he'd just been in the shower, but it was sort of surprising how much Blaine wanted to walk across the room and swipe it away with his thumb. He couldn't help it -- Kurt looked so _cute,_ all fresh and clean with damp hair and a towel wrapped around his slim hips. It was hot in the cabin, and Blaine wondered if Kurt's skin would feel cool to the touch, if it would feel refreshing to press his warm cheek against Kurt's chest that he wasn't quite managing to hide behind the clothes in his arms (although Blaine was rather charmed that he was trying).

"Okay, thanks," he said, finally snapping out of it. He dug into his suitcase and pulled out a clean pair of boxers, along with... _uh oh._ He pawed through the pile of neatly-folded clothes again, then checked his backpack, just in case. 

No pajamas. 

Well. It didn't have to be weird, Blaine told himself. He'd just be casual, and Kurt wouldn't even realize there was anything wrong. Plenty of guys slept in boxers, and even if they didn't usually do so on their first night with new roommates and had simply failed to pack the new pajamas they'd bought specifically for this occasion, it still didn't have to be weird. 

Blaine nodded to himself and tucked his boxers under his arm, along with a towel and his toiletry bag. He gave Kurt a little wave before he stepped into the bathroom, locking the door behind him mostly out of habit. It was probably a good idea, though -- if he was going to be sleeping in his underwear, Blaine was _definitely_ going to jerk off before bed. 

Which he did, while most certainly _not_ thinking about his roommate, like, at all. He used a washcloth to muffle the groan he let out when he came, then quickly finished showering and shut the water off. He dried himself and slipped into his boxers, then combed a bit of gel through his hair. He wasn't sure what Kurt needed to _talk_ to him about his hairgel for, but no way was Blaine going out there in his underwear and without hair product. 

Blaine brushed his teeth, and then, with nothing left to do, he took a deep breath, lifted his chin, and walked out of the bathroom. 

"That water pressure _is_ pretty lousy," he agreed. "It felt great to shower, though!" 

~

Kurt really should have planned this better. Why hadn't he brought his pajamas - or at least _underwear_ \- into the bathroom with him? Now he had to awkwardly stand around in his towel until Blaine went in there. And of course Blaine wasn't ready, of course he had to spend an inordinate amount of time looking through his suitcase for his own nightclothes. Were they invisible? What was taking him so long? Kurt sighed quietly, clutching the towel around his waist and waiting not-so-patiently for him to hurry up, and when he finally straightened up and headed for the bathroom, Kurt was so thankful he didn't even notice what Blaine did or didn't have in his hands.

As soon as the bathroom door clicked shut, Kurt let go of the towel with a sigh of relief and bent, naked, over his open suitcase. It was still hot in the cabin - which he really needed to do something about, maybe on their first night off he could go buy a fan somewhere - but getting air to the skin that had been covered by the towel felt wonderful. He pulled out a clean pair of briefs and his silk pajamas, but opted not to put them on right away, reveling in the chance to be completely nude with another boy only a wall away. He hadn't even felt brave enough to do that in his own house during the brief period that he and Finn had shared a room. 

By the time Blaine exited the bathroom, Kurt had completed his nightly skincare routine with the help of the large mirror on one wall (surprising that the cabin even had one; no place to put your clothes but you'd have no problem seeing how wrinkled they were once you put them on!) and had gotten dressed. He was just moving everything off his bed when Blaine came back in, and _of course_ he was the type to only sleep in boxers, of course he was. Kurt briefly considered taking a sleeping pill, because he didn't know _how_ he was going to doze off with a gorgeous almost-naked boy in the bed six feet away. 

"I think I'm going to have to shower in the morning _and _at night," Kurt replied, hoping his voice sounded normal. "Isn't there a Target in town? First chance I get, I'm going there to buy a fan. Or maybe a window A/C unit, because this is ridiculous."__

~

Blaine silently congratulated himself on being casual enough about strolling out of the bathroom in his underwear that Kurt didn't seem weirded out. Kurt hadn't even reacted, really, he'd just kept on moving his things off his bed like Blaine wasn't standing there practically naked.

Blaine wasn't sure if he was disappointed or not. Because yeah, he'd wanted it to not be awkward, but there'd also been a tiny part of him that had hoped Kurt would blush or stutter or... _something._ Just to end his first night at camp with a bang instead of a whimper. Either of which sounded oddly sexual, now that he thought about it. He flung himself onto his bed, not bothering to get under the covers, because Kurt had a point about the heat. 

"It is really warm," Blaine said, rolling onto his side so he could look at Kurt. He grinned mischievously. "We could take turns fanning each other with our counselor handbooks, maybe. Or I could drizzle cold water on you while you sleep?" 

~

Kurt had just moved the last item from his bed and was reaching for his phone to set an alarm when Blaine spoke, and he froze. Narrowing his eyes, he turned his head very slowly to look over at Blaine, who was actually _smirking._ Okay, either he was poking fun at Kurt, or he was actually sort of serious. Maybe both. Blaine's expression was contagious, though, and Kurt couldn't help the corners of his mouth turning up. "Does drizzling water on a sleeping person have the same effect as sticking their hand in a bowl of water? Are you trying to pull a prank on me on our very first night?" He clicked his tongue, still smiling as he shook his head in mock disgust. "Shame on you."

Sleeping on top of the covers, as Blaine appeared to be doing, seemed like a good idea, so Kurt stretched out on top of his own, holding the phone above his head to set the alarm for 6:30. Breakfast wasn't until 8, but he'd need some time to plan out his look for the day - since they weren't required to wear their uniform shirts until the campers arrived, he had to both look stylish and be comfortable in the heat. "Can you get the light switch, since you're closer?" he asked vaguely, now trying to access his email from his phone. The wireless signal was nearly non-existent, though. "I'll sing you a lullaby if you get up and do it," he added, turning his head to smile at Blaine again, fluttering his eyelashes. 

~

_"Me,_ pull a prank?" Blaine asked, blinking innocently at Kurt. "I was merely suggesting ways we could beat the heat. Although I suppose I could kill two birds with one stone and freeze your underwear when you're out of the cabin."

He stretched for the light switch, hoping he could reach it without getting up, but even practically hanging off the bed, his fingers were still several inches away. He gave up and got to his feet, then flipped the switch next to the door. He paused as the small room went almost pitch-black, waiting for his eyes to adjust. Kurt's iPhone was practically the only light, and all Blaine could see was Kurt's pale, handsome face, the light from his phone screen making his eyes shine. 

Once Blaine felt slightly less blind, he took the two steps back to his bed and laid down, letting out a contented sigh as he did. 

"I believe I was promised a lullaby?" he asked hopefully. 

~

Kurt turned his head sharply toward Blaine, just barely able to see him by the glow from his phone. Blaine's expression was... well, the only word Kurt could use to describe it was _earnest._ He hadn't really been serious with the lullaby thing, but how could he say no to that face? If it had been anyone else, Kurt would have rolled his eyes and gone to sleep without another word, intent on depriving the other person of the chance to hear him sing. They'd have to _earn_ it. But right now all he wanted to do was sing to Blaine until his voice gave out, and he knew just which song to pick.

"My mom used to sing this to me," Kurt said quietly. "Not just to sing me to sleep - around the house, too." She was the main reason why Kurt had never missed the annual "Sing-a-Long Sound of Music" performance. If he'd taken just a moment to really think about why he was choosing to share this extremely personal portion of his life with Blaine, he might have reconsidered and sung something different. He didn't, though, because doing this felt very _right,_ somehow. 

_"Edelweiss, edelweiss, every morning you greet me..."_ Kurt couldn't bear to see if Blaine was laughing or about to laugh or looking at him with anything even close to derision, so he closed his eyes and sang to the ceiling, softly and clearly. _"Small and white, clean and bright, you look happy to meet me... Blossom of snow may you bloom and grow, bloom and grow forever... Edelweiss, edelweiss, bless my homeland forever..."_ That last phrase had always given Kurt a sad little twist in his stomach - Ohio might be his home, but it certainly wasn't blessed. Not for him. 

~

When Kurt began to sing, a warmth settled over Blaine that was entirely separate from the sweaty summer air. He hadn't been sure if Kurt actually _would_ sing or not, and Blaine was delighted that he had. There was something strangely intimate about hearing Kurt's voice and knowing he was so close, but not being able to see him. And what a voice it was; sweet and clear and utterly lovely.

Blaine wrapped his arms around himself as Kurt sang the last lines, wishing he could hug Kurt instead. Somehow, he was sure he'd just been given a gift. "Thank you," he said after Kurt fell silent. "That was _really_ beautiful, Kurt. Thank you." 

~

Kurt's heart was pounding when he finished singing. Most of the reactions he got to his voice weren't particularly encouraging, and since Blaine was also a singer he was rather anxious to know what Blaine had thought. He almost let out a sigh of relief after the compliment, beaming up at the ceiling in the dark. "Thank _you,"_ he said quietly. "And you're welcome."

He'd heard the soft whisper of skin gliding over skin from Blaine's bed and wondered what it was - and he couldn't lie to himself and say it didn't make him terribly curious about how Blaine's skin would feel under his own fingers. That thought propelled him to end their first day together on a flirtatious note, and he said teasingly, "Tomorrow, you can sing _me_ to sleep." Blaine made a small sound that might have been a chuckle or a sputter, and it just made Kurt smile all the more. He said good night and rolled onto his side away from Blaine's bed, tucking one hand under his pillow and still grinning. This was going to be a very interesting month.


End file.
